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BY BRADFORD McKEE

There can scarcely be any overstating the threat the Trump presidency poses to the interests of the landscape architecture community, which center ardently on the welfare of human society and ecology and the planet. If design is the sum of all constraints, as Charles and Ray Eames said, this presidency will be the greatest constraint many of us will work under in our lifetimes, on the order of anathema to everything landscape architecture has ever stood for. We have to get right to work and be very canny about it, or the Trump administration, along with a Congress controlled by some of the most venal people ever to lodge themselves into American politics, will be a disaster well beyond the many ways we can name even now.

During the campaign, Trump’s positions on public policy, such as they were—and fairly obscured by endless evidence of his career as a liar, a swindler, a bully, a bigot, and a sexual predator—did not, to me, warrant detailed study. They weren’t policies in any developed sense. (OK, there was the child-care one, but what was that?) They consisted largely of frequent impulsive eruptions calculated only to produce outrage among his disaffected rabble and people of greater composure, though different strains of outrage, for sure. However masterful he is at plucking a populace, in terms of governance I kept thinking of the line about the French revanchist and anti-Semite Paul Déroulède, who was said to have “the political vision of a child.” If you heard what I heard during Trump’s acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention this summer, you got a gothic harangue of wild paranoia and vengeance. It was pure Tarantino. I found myself fantasizing that Ronald Reagan would appear in the form of a fireball to relay a few words from God.

No, what got my attention most then and since is the Republican Party platform. The section on natural resources begins on page 17. On oil drilling: “[W]e support the opening of public lands and the outer continental shelf to exploration.” On President Obama’s Clean Power Plan: “We will do away with it altogether.” On coal: “The Democratic Party does not understand that coal is an abundant, clean, affordable, reliable domestic energy resource.” On the Keystone XL pipeline: “After years of delay, the President killed it to satisfy environmental extremists. We intend to finish that pipeline and others.” On climate change: “Climate change is far from this nation’s most pressing national security issue.” On the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: “We propose to shift responsibility for environmental regulation from the federal bureaucracy to the states and to transform the EPA into an independent bipartisan commission…. We will enforce the original intent of the Clean Water Act, not it’s [sic] distortion by EPA regulations. We will likewise forbid the EPA to regulate carbon dioxide, something never envisioned when Congress passed the Clean Air Act.” On the 640 million acres of public lands in the federal portfolio: “Congress shall immediately pass universal legislation providing for a timely and orderly mechanism requiring the federal government to convey certain federally controlled public lands to states.” And on the tentative progress made toward reversing climate change: “We reject the agendas of both the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement….”

With notable consistency, Trump himself has expressed hatred for the EPA. In March, he promised to “get rid of [EPA] in almost every form. We are going to have little tidbits left, but we are going to take a tremendous amount out.” Among the people named as most likely to be appointed EPA administrator, Trump has only to figure out the most hostile. And he is reported to be already looking at ways to extract the United States from the Paris Agreement.

This is the least of it for now. As I write this tonight, a prominent anti-Semite, Stephen Bannon, is being named a White House strategist. We know our obligation. I am proud to be part of ASLA because its vision is this: Leading the design and stewardship of land and communities. We know that in fulfilling it we stand against self-interests and conflicted interests. The job description just got bigger for us all.

15 Responses

Your editorial rant against the president-elect offends and should not be published.

Regardless of your personal political creed or persuasion, all communications from ASLA should be non-partisan, including our journal, LAM.

My political mentor, Ohio Supreme Court Justice William Burbridge Brown, when as a young man I asked his political position he replied, “As a justice, I have to be fair to everyone that comes before me, and in that respect I am bipartisan.” That ideal moved me toward reason and fairness.

ASLA represents my profession, such disrespect from LAM to our soon-to-be President of the United States is shameful and does not represent professional values of reason or fairness. Yes, there are many concerns, I hope that landscape architecture will lead fellow mankind and unite the nation with solutions to its challenges rather than spew blather and sow discord and division.

The states have voted with a new hope for America. As the sun rises again on America, a new day will dawn; may God bless this great nation. And may we as a profession lead as non-partisans and create a better world.

Thank you for standing up and saying what so many of us are thinking. After the AIA came out in support of president-elect Trump, especially after the way he has treated their profession, I was curious as to what ASLA would say on the matter. I understand that ASLA and LAM are not one and the same, but I do appreciate you holding fast to what our profession stands for: protecting our planet, creating beautiful green spaces for the public, and building strong communities.

Thanks go out to Bradford McKee for summarizing so succinctly the realities of the incoming administration with their clearly stated all out attack on the environment through expected policy retrenchment. Such long fought battles to establish a nuanced approach to addressing pressing global issues that are more and more apparent to most literate and awake people are going to be thrown in the trash bin of history by this band of self serving maniacs lined up to destroy all sanity in the name of reviving the American dream. With the anointment of Bannon, Gingrich,Giuliani, and Bolton huge steps will be made to erase protections of our environment as well as the civil rights of all of our citizens. It is important that citizens be cognizant of the methods that will be employed as they slowly and carefully chip away at the protections and liberties that have been accepted as important social norms. Voices of dissent must be raised and I applaud Brad McKee’s courage in voicing these concerns and broadcasting it within the professional vehicle of Landscape Architecture Magazine, a publication that has positioned itself as ready to grapple with important local and global matters. For those that find such words disturbing I would suggest that they try to look deeper into the promises that are being made and seriously question the basis on which the programs are being put forward.
I only wish there were more voices being raised in opposition to what looks to be potentially a long term national disaster.

If ASLA is about leading the design and stewardship of land and communities, and our abilities to do so effectively are about to be compromised, then I hope LAM has a lot more articles in the works that are better than this one. We are all scared. We all know what this new administration means for the field. A dramatic, hyperbolic, worrisome rant only feeds into that fear and weakens our movement. LAM, it’s time to develop a true political voice — one that builds our strengths, and connects people to larger actions so that we can organize against coming obstacles. It is not the time to preach ‘paranoia, vengeance, Tarantino, and fireballs’ without saying next that we will come out in full against such forces.

Mr. McKee,
Please do not publish the article. Your comments related to Steve Bannon show an extreme liberal bias perpetuating a mainstream media witch hunt against the incoming administration that are factually incorrect. If you had waited to hear all the facts you would have learned that the “anti-Semitic” article and headline the media is attempting to link to Bannon was actually written by David Horowitz (a Jew). It was made abundantly clear during the election cycle that the media has given up any pretense of objectivity and waged all out search and destoy mission on President-elect Trump. Its not likely that this liberal bias suddenly disappeared now that the results are in.

This looks like a bunch of whining from someone who didn’t get their way. It is embarrassing, and is not becoming of the magazine. While it may reflect the concerns that many ASLA members feel, it is certainly not representative of the entire membership.

The best part of a Trump presidency is that it will allow us to finally identify fascists more easily, since they’ll be the ones telling us to be civil.

If this article sounds like the “whining” of someone who didn’t get their way (an interpretive move surely in line with your own preferred source of news), then it’s the whining of a designer whose President-elect doesn’t believe in climate change, and whose stated goals include breaking with the Paris accord. I don’t know about your firm, but mine would like an environment to work with.

I have been reading Brad McKee’s editorial over the years and I find him to be opinionated to a fault. He alienates his audience. His opinions do not represent the ASLA as a profession. If he does not, then we have a professional duty to let him go. He has to remember that LAM sits in the lobby of many offices of Landscape Architects. He was hired to profess the best of Landscape Architecture, which I do not doubt his sincerity for that. What I have problem with is his latest editorial rant of his personal opinions. As you will see below, in his words, he was not hired to do this. I hope and pray that it will not be in the most recent LAM issue. Since I am the only Landscape Architect in my office, it will not be proudly displayed in the lobby. LAM says that there are approximately 22,500 subscribers. Can you imagine the negative impact if one of my clients, 22,500 subscribers, sitting in the office lobby, that just voted for Trump, and he reads this editorial claiming to be the voice for all 22,500 subscribers. I just lost my potential job/client.
This comes from the LAM website…..”…. The mission of the magazine is to elevate the practice of landscape architecture by providing timely information on built landscapes and on new techniques for ecologically sensitive planning and design.” An apolitical stance. I think Brad McKee overstepped his mission and let his personal opinions cloud his responsibility to represent me and thousands of other Landscape Architects that may or may not have voted for President-Elect Trump. He stepped outside the lines. Just the facts Ma’am, as Jack Webb would say. I guess I just gave away my age. I earned my License in 1979. Brad does not have a license and to my knowledge he is not out there trying to build a business with the diversity of clients we all represent. Also, I think he just did harm to our profession. To say the least, I am disappointed in his rant in My magazine and his representation of my profession for the last 37 years.
What was his point? To show us he is compassionate? To show us he knows more than us? He was hired to help Landscape Architects promote our core values, which include promoting Landscape Architecture. His quote….“This is an exciting time for landscape architects, who improve the lives of people in whole towns, regions and, of course, facilitate a far more sensible use of our natural resources than we have seen in recent decades. Landscape Architecture magazine will reflect all of this while serving the needs of its readers and the profession.” He was not doing this with his rant. He was promoting division and bigotry which has no place in our magazine – LAM. Maybe staying silent would have been more appropriate but for an old Landscape Architect and Vietnam veteran I think I have the right to voice my opinion also….semper fi……K. DeWayne Kinsey, ASLA

It’s fine to offer evaluations, predictions, opinions, etc. but some of the language about a president-elect (a swindler, a bully, a bigot, and a sexual predator) I find tasteless, crude and disgraceful for a professional letter that could be taken as representing the “tone” of representative of that profession on any level. There are ways to get points across without ad hominem references. Similar descriptions of Trump’s former opponent (tweaked for her circumstances) would get the same reaction from me.

This essay is an embarrassment. It is entirely inappropriate to be presented in this forum, but it does serve as testimony as to why Trump won. I’m now questioning why I’ve been an ASLA member for so long. There are entirely too many McKee types involved with it. Does the group lack for editors or even a rational calming voice? Disgraceful! I think its time I bowed out of this organization. It certainly doesn’t speak for me or any of my professional concerns.

Shame on you for using this useful, non-partisan professional business organization as a platform for airing your own political views in a way that this membership cannot avoid, since you have taken the cowards way of hiding your message within the contents of a legitimate article on point for many of the members. At the very least your comments should be openly printed as an “OP ED” piece for selected reading by anyone who may wish to spend their time reading your opinion.
Most adults who are practicing in this field of endeavor have already developed their own political beliefs and in all probabilities do not need to hear from you in THIS FORUM. Your comments and suggestions, conclusions and rants are of no value in promoting healing or positivity in this country on any level.
It is your attempt to take the mic and run on with it, much like Sean Penn when he takes the mic at the Academy Awards and tells millions of people how he feels about America, the current administration, and politics in general. It is offensive, just like the rant you have subjected us to.
Find yourself a PAC or other group within which to promote your own personal political viewpoint and agenda in a productive way and spare the members of this respected publication the burden of your liberal speech, which offends many, and who resent your hijacking the readership for your own personal political grandstanding.

Thank you Mr McKee for your honest and frank assessment of the impending issues and challenges we face under the new Republican president. We all need to take a deep breath and seek opportunities to breath wise sustainable leadership in the work we produce and in our relationships we build with our clients; in the civic engagement opportunities presented where we live and practice; and by demonstrating our values in how to live responsibly in the era of climate change. More than ever there is a need to collaborate and communicate and act widely, effectively and very often about the creative and good ways to plan,design and manage the land and communities around us to strengthen local conversations, show by example and to build momentum to stop and change the destructive intentions of the new leadership just elected. Thank you LAM for the inspiration. We will need it more than ever!

I’m very late to this conversation but I applaud Mr. KcKee for saying what needs to be said and for all to be vigilant. It’s difficult for those of us that profit from development but doing the right thing and saying the right things are always difficult. Let’s not just hope for the best, let’s prevent the worst and find a way to move forward. Long may freedom of speech be just that.